1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to small boat ventilators and more particularly to cloth and plastic frame ventilators that are readily foldible into a small package for storage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A novelty search of ventilating devices for hatch openings on small sail and powered boats are generally complicated in design and presents considerable problems relative to installation, obstruction features and costs. Most are constructed of metal and are of the cowl type bolted to the deck or fastened in some manner to the hatch.
A cloth type of ventilator called "Windscoop" is disclosed in E and B Marine Supply, Inc., Catalog, pages 118 and 119. The windscoop is a sail like form which has two batten sewn in place. It is hung from a halyard, boom or roller furling jet-sheet. In so far as a small sail boat is concerned the means for hanging the windscoop appears to form an obstruction in the management of sails and lines. In a powered boat there may not be overhead means for supporting the windscoop. Further, this type of ventilator does not protect an open hatch from rainfall.
Another cloth ventilator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,664 that is also suspended from an overhead tie which provides similar problems suggested for the windscoop. This ventilator is configured on an X-shaped frame to deflect wind coming from any direction down into an open hatch. The ventilator is formed into a top section for receiving a gust of wind and bottom section suggested as a difusing chamber. The bottom section has a rigid frame for fitting beneath the hatch opening. It is obvious that this device is complicated, expensive and would allow rain to drip down into the hatch.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,737,610 discloses a folding windscoop comprising a plurality of arcuate shaped metal bands pivoted from a common pivot on each side of the hatch. It is substantially more complex mechanically, more expensive to construct and can only be used on a round hatch.